Sweet Deceit (Privilege 4)

“Huh. It’s odd, isn’t it?” Lexa said, taking out her eyeliner. “I mean, she’s so friendly and talkative most of the time. You’d think she’d be one of those people who never shut up about their friends and family.”

“Well, we’re not really that close,” Ariana replied.

Lexa blinked. “But she told you all those stories about her old school. About pranking that girl and everything. Do you know where she used to go?”

Ariana turned to the sink and turned it on full blast. Son of a bitch. Of course that story made it sound like she and Kaitlynn were best friends, up all night talking and bonding and reminiscing.

“No. I don’t think she ever mentioned the name of the school,” she said, reaching for the soap.

“Weird,” Lexa said, capping the eyeliner. “We checked with admissions, and even they don’t have a copy of her most recent transcripts. How did she even get in here?”

“I don’t know, but they must have reviewed her file,” Ariana said, scrubbing her hands hard to mask the fact that they were trembling.

“This school’s next to impossible to get into. They don’t take just anyone, right?”

“True,” Lexa said. She looked at her reflection and smoothed the hem of her long shirt over her hips.

“Maybe there’s a reason it all needs to be kept a secret,” Ariana suggested. “Maybe she’s in the witness protection program or something.”

Lexa paused in her grooming, arching one eyebrow. “Huh. Interesting.”

Ariana shut the water off and turned to grab a paper towel, her nerves quivering. She had to change the subject and she had to do it fast. She decided it was time to bite the bullet. If Lexa wasn’t going to mention the elephant, she would. Maybe it would stop her from feeling so tense, give her the power in this conversation, if she showed Lexa that she wasn’t going to be cowed by her games.

“I have a question for you, too,” Ariana said. “About the tasks.”

Was it her imagination, or had Lexa just flinched? Was talking about the tasks outside the Tombs verboten?

“Okay,” Lexa said, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Well, what if the task is kind of subjective?” Ariana asked, turning to face Lexa again. “Like my last one—I was supposed to make a spectacle of myself, but I wasn’t sure how big of a spectacle was required.”

This was true. When Ariana had first received her task she had been clueless as to what to do and therefore terrified of getting it wrong. But in the end, she had been pretty proud of herself for her performance. She had walked into the dining hall right in the middle of a meal, climbed up on a table, and performed a song and dance for everyone to see. She still smiled every time she thought about the resulting standing ovation.

Lexa laughed and lifted her bag strap over her head again. “Well, you executed that one perfectly. I’m sure you’ll do fine.”

Ariana eyed Lexa. She had assumed that the task was her friend’s way of punishing Ariana and Palmer for getting together. But there was no teasing lilt in Lexa’s expression as they stood together in the bathroom. No knowing glances. So maybe Ariana was just being paranoid. Maybe it was April and Conrad’s job to come up with the tasks. Could one of them suspect Palmer and Ariana? Was Conrad trying to get revenge on his new girlfriend’s ex?

Thinking about it all made Ariana’s head hurt.

“Well, I’m glad you think so,” Ariana said.

“Whatever you do, just make sure you get it done by the deadline,” Lexa advised curtly.

“Of course,” Ariana replied, stung.

“I’m just trying to help.” Lexa crossed her arms over her chest. “You don’t want to know what’ll happen if you fail. Believe me.”

Ariana felt as if she’d just been slapped. Where did Lexa get off talking down to her like that? She’d never copped an attitude with Ariana before. Did she think that it was okay to do so now that Ariana knew Lexa had power over her? All this time Ariana had been tiptoeing around the girl, keeping her relationship with Palmer on the back burner just to spare Lexa’s feelings. And to keep herself in the running for Stone and Grave as well, but still. It had started out as an attempt to spare Lexa’s feelings. But clearly, Lexa didn’t care quite as much about sparing Ariana’s.

“Come on. We’re gonna be late for English,” Lexa said, brushing past Ariana and yanking open the door.

“I’m right behind you,” Ariana said.

The second the door swung shut behind Lexa, Ariana whipped out her cell phone and sent Palmer a text.

RE: YOUR INVITE. I’M IN.

CHEESY